Ginny and Severus at the Dance
by JuliaBC
Summary: Severus asks Ginny to dance out of spite, and is surprised to find he enjoys her company. Sequels to be coming, but all in short story form.


Severus was having a hard time to feel cheerful and festive. It was five years after Voldemort's death, and he was at the annual anniversary dance at Hogwarts. Minerva had been urging him to ask someone to dance, and so he had finally edged up to ask Hermione Granger. Ron was dancing with Luna at the moment, so maybe she would.

"Miss Granger, may I have this dance?" He asked, sidling up to where she sat. She looked up at him in surprise, saying quickly, "Erm, Ron's coming back soon. Just after this dance."

Severus blinked. "The song has only just started—"

"All right, I don't mean to be rude but...why would I ever dance with you?" Hermione stood up quickly and rushed off, leaving Severus staring after her. There was no call to be so rude, he thought. Flushing as he realized his invitation had caused an audience to gather around, he pushed back through the crowd, feeling embarrassed and not liking it.

Ron's song with Luna was ending and he saw Hermione and Ron start to dance the next. It was a couple's dance, and he saw lovers everywhere. Harry with Luna. George Weasley with Angelina Johnson. The other Weasleys with their significant others. Clenching his jaw, he scanned the crowd. There had to be someone to ask to dance. Then he spotted Ginny Weasley. She was staring at the dance floor with a faint look of longing on her face. He was surprised to find her partnerless until he remembered her unwed mother status. Yes, it had been quite a surprise when he had heard she was pregnant, what was it, fifteen months ago? Her child must be half a year old by now, he realized. How time passed. But even in the now lenient wizarding world, becoming an unwed mother made you a pariah. All her old boyfriends from her Hogwarts years now avoided her gaze, or outright snubbed her, depending on how their relationship had ended.

"Oh, damn." He muttered. "I might as well." With that, he straightened and walked over to her. She was wearing a pale pink dress, which looked like a blouse on top, with a long, straight skirt. She had dangly golden earrings. Usually Severus didn't like dangly earrings, but somehow they looked good on her. "Miss Weasley, would you care to dance?"

She looked up in surprise and quickly stood. "Yes, I'd love to, Professor." The look on her face showed that she was happy to have been asked, but more than that, she was happy to be asked by him. This surprised and pleased Severus, causing him to smile down at her. She smiled back, brilliantly.

He led her out to the dance floor, took her right hand his own and placed his right hand on her waist. The song was a quiet love song, easy to dance to. "And please don't call me Professor, Miss Weasley. I am not a professor any longer, and even if I was, you are not my student any longer."

"Well, all right, but then what should I call you?"

"Severus, I suppose." He said, spinning her in time to the music. She was certainly a graceful dancer, he mused. Her movements were quick and lithe, and she never looked at her feet, like he had noticed Hermione doing.

"Well, if I am calling you Severus, you should call me Ginny."

"Ginny, you are an amazing dancer." He said, pulling her just a little bit closer.

"Thank you. Before Hogwarts, Mum had me take Ballet. I was good at it but I did prefer Quidditch and Ballet isn't taught at Hogwarts so I gave it up. I wasn't dedicated enough to try it on my own."

"Ah, perfectly understandable." He had moved them to the middle of the dance floor, and now was doing more spinning and dipping then necessary. He decided to try a lift, and before she could object, placed his hands around her waist—for someone who'd had a baby not long ago, she certainly had a small waist—and lifted, spinning her. Her surprised laughter rang out, and his laugh joined hers. Now they were completely not following the steps everyone else was, but looked more elegant anyway. People were now watching with envious looks on their face, the men wishing they had the nerve to dance like that and the women wishing they could.

Severus lifted Ginny again so she was taller and she smiled joyously down at him. Something changed then, as the song grew quieter and he set her down. Now he pulled her close, not caring about the dance anymore, and she rested her head on his shoulder. They moved slowly in a circle, Severus resting his chin on Ginny's head. He felt a tenderness he had never felt before, even with Lily. Lily had never been vulnerable, and before now Ginny hadn't been either. But going through something like Ginny, and being humiliated and made a pariah, it naturally made you a bit wary. Now she was letting him in, not hiding anything, and as the lights dimmed, he was surprised to find her crying softly on his shoulder. "Ginny, what's the matter?" He asked anxiously, pulling away a bit.

"No, no," she said, pulling him back. "I'm just so happy now. Thank you Severus."

The dance had ended, and he escorted her back to her seat. The musicians were taking a break, and people were heading to the punch bowl or the powder room.

Ginny's small hand reluctantly left his larger one, and he, too, was hesitant to let go. What changed? He wondered, wanting more, but not knowing what to say. She looked up at him, her eyes glowing and, his heart breaking, he kissed her hand and walked away. It would be better like this, he told himself. She had enough trouble, she didn't need to get involved with him.

Authors note: I don't dislike Hermione, though this story suggested that. I just needed someone for Severus to want to show up. Neither do I particularly like Harry/Luna pairing, I just needed someone for Harry to be dancing with that wasn't Ginny. At this point, the parentage of Ginny's child does not matter. I might write sequels.


End file.
